Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee ,.... It was but one, and a little one, and therefore she hoped it would be granted: I pray thee , say me not nay ; do not refuse it, or deny it me, or turn away my thee with shame and disappointment: and the king said, ask on, my mother, for I will not say thee nay ; since it is a small one, as thou sayest, and provided it is fit and lawful to be granted. read more
And she said, let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. For so Adonijah was by his father's side; and Bathsheba makes use of the relation, the more to move upon him to grant the request. read more
And King Solomon answered and said unto his mother ,.... With as much gentleness and mildness as he could, but inwardly fired at her request, and amazed at it, and could not forbear using some degree of tartness and resentment: and why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah ? is this a small petition? is this a fit and lawful one? ask for him the kingdom also ; for this is what he means by it, that by marrying the king's widow he may step into the throne whenever any... read more
Then King Solomon sware by the Lord ,.... To prevent his mother pressing him to have her petition granted: saying, God do so to me, and more also ; lay such and such evils upon me, and more than I care to express: if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life ; to his own prejudice, and even to the loss of his life; in which Solomon suggests it would issue, being a fresh overt act of treason; he knew, from what Bathsheba said, that this was his petition, and that he had... read more
Now therefore, as the Lord liveth ,.... Which is another oath; and one may easily perceive hereby in what a temper and disposition Solomon was, how warm, earnest, and vehement, how resolute against the petition, and how determined he was to punish Adonijah and his confederates: which hath established me, and set me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised ; who had placed him on his father's throne, and established him there, in spite of all his... read more
And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada ,.... Orders to execute him, and proper persons to do it; perhaps some of the Cherethites and Pelethites under him, to assist at least in it: and he fell upon him, that he died ; Benaiah rushed in upon him with his men, and thrust his sword into him, and killed him; executions used to be done in those times and countries by great personages, as the instances of Gideon, Doeg, and others, show, and not by common executioners. read more
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king ,.... Who was either at court, or he sent for him, and thus addressed him: get thee to Anathoth ; a city of the tribe of Benjamin, given to the priests, Joshua 21:18 ; of which place Abiathar might be originally, and whither he is bid to return: unto thine own fields ; which belonged to him there, either by inheritance or purchase; and these he was to mind, and not perform the functions of his office, however as high priest, and at... read more
So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord ,.... He deposed him from his office of high priest, otherwise I suppose he might officiate as a common priest, at least in some of the branches of it; this was done by his own authority as a king, and not as a prophet, as Bellarmine vainly distinguishes; and not by the authority of the college of the, priests, at the instance of Solomon, as Fortunatus Schacchus says F4 Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 3. c. 50. col. 1069. for... read more
Then tidings came to Joab ,.... Of the death of Adonijah, and the deposition of Abiathar: for Joab had turned after Adonijah ; publicly appeared at his feast, when he was saluted king by him, and others, and privately gave him advice in the affair of Abishag: though he turned not after Absalom ; did not join with him in his rebellion, but faithfully adhered to David; and yet both in his lifetime, and after his death, acted the traitorous part in favour of Adonijah: Ben Gersom gives... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 2:19
Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah ,.... She went from her own house to the palace; for she might not live at court; or however had an apartment to herself, from whence she went to the king with her suit in favour of Adonijah: and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her ; upon her entrance into the presence chamber, in honour to her as a parent, he rose up from his throne, and made his obeisance to her, as a dutiful son: and sat... read more